Pawsibilities Dog Training
Service area: Serves Northeast Illinois and Southeast Wisconsin, with private lessons within 30 miles of Cary, IL. Remote sessions available for clients beyond this radius.
Service Overview
Types of Dog Training
- Family Dog
- Competition / Agility
- Behavior Modification
Specialty Focus Areas
- Puppy Training
- Basic Obedience
- Leash Pulling
- Reactivity / Aggression
- Jumping on People
- Barking Excessively
- Separation Anxiety
- Biting / Nipping
- Resource Guarding
- Fearfulness
- Recall
Training Formats Offered
- Private Lessons
- Board and Train
- Day Training
- Video Calls
Program Formats
- One-Time Consultation
- Sessions Package
- Ongoing Weekly
- Intensive Program
Types of Dogs
- Small
- Medium
- Large
- Giant
- Herding
- Sporting
- Working
- Terriers
- Doodles
- Brachycephalic
Age of Dogs Trained
- Puppy (<1 year)
- Adolescent (1-2 years)
- Adult (2-8 years)
- Senior (8+ years)
Dog Training Methodology
Methods:
- ✓ Balanced Training
Equipment:
- ✓ Clickers
- ✓ Food Rewards
- ✓ Harnesses
- ✓ Flat Collars
- ✓ Martingale Collars
- ✓ Pinch Collars
- ✓ E-Collars
- ✓ Obstacle Courses
Offers one-on-one private lessons, intensive 3–4 week boarding and training programs, and refresher boarding. Training is customized per dog and includes behavior modification, obedience, rally, tricks, and proofing under distractions. Owners are taught to apply techniques consistently at home. No group classes currently available, but workshops can be arranged upon request.
Pricing & Policies
Pricing Summary
Private lessons: $75/hour within 30 miles of Cary, IL; Boarding and training: $650/week for 3–4 week immersion program; Refresher boarding: $75/day. Quotes available for locations outside the 30-mile radius.
Testimonials
“Obedience Training: A very nice experience! Bentley a Standard Poodle, my wife and I have just completed an eight week Beginning Obedience class conducted by Kelly Czaja. We listened as Kelly gave instructions and explanations of each exercise. If you listen very closely you realize that she has a wonderful and in depth understanding of dogs and their requirements that will lead to a successfully trained dog. We will sign up for two more eight week classes. Signed up for the Intermediate Obedience and the Tricks classes. Kelly is going to offer a Rally course and we will sign up for it when it is offered. If you have or are going to have a dog in your family I would strongly recommend you be trained along with your dog. My wife and I have had dogs for over forty years and it is a pleasure to have a well trained dog at seven months of age. ”
– Client
“I don’t have enough words to describe my experience… I have a beautiful German Shepherd named Wendy Von der Neuen Welt. When she was about two, she became agressive and very, very protective of me. No-one could come near me, walking her was a nightmare. Vet visits were horrific. Kelly Czaja was her trainer. From the beginning, my Wendy was a new dog. KELLY IS SUPER!!! It was a battle of the queens, but Kelly won and Wendy learned to listen. After ten classes, I am happy to say that my SUPER ALPHA, bodyguard, 85 lb. baby girl is a well composed individual! 🙂 We go for long walks, we run, and we even go to Petsmart. She behaves beautifully. Kelly, thank God, worked miracles. She has a very soft voice and never raises her voice when she’s with the dogs. All I know is that the love that she gave my dog, the care and interest that she demonstrates when training are rare…”
– Client
“Kelly has trained 6 of our Shepherds and she is the best dog trainer around! Would never even think of going anywhere else! She understands what the dog is thinking and knows how to address it. We think the world of Kelly and HIGHLY recommend her!”
– Client
About the Trainer
Pawsibilities Dog Training is a professional dog training business founded by Kelly Winkie in 2000, serving dog owners in Northeast Illinois and Southeast Wisconsin. Kelly specializes in all levels of obedience training, behavior modification, tricks, and competition sports like rally and obedience. She offers private in-home lessons, boarding and training programs (3–4 weeks at $650/week), and refresher boarding at $75/day. Her training philosophy combines balanced methods with positive reinforcement, using tools like clickers, food, toys, prong collars, and e-collars—while avoiding pack theory, alpha rolling, or squirt bottles. She tailors training to each dog’s individual needs and teaches owners how to communicate effectively with their pets. Kelly also maintains a blog, Pawsitively Balanced, and is active on Facebook to share training insights.
She has trained hundreds of dogs annually across all breeds and ages, including reactive, fearful, and aggressive dogs, and has coached clients to over 50 AKC titles. Her experience includes working with service dogs, police K9s, and Jiff the Pomeranian, a Guinness World Record trick dog with over 1.3 million Facebook followers.
Her facility is clean and professional, and she is insured through KennelPro. She is a certified member of NADOI and IACP, and her methods emphasize building a respectful, engaged relationship between dog and handler through consistent, humane guidance.
Accomplishments
Kelly Winkie has 24+ years of professional training experience since 2000. She holds 15 AKC titles in obedience and rally, two Schutzhund titles, and was a 2016 Rally National Championship qualifier. She has coached clients to over 50 AKC titles, multiple Rally National qualifiers, and worked with Jiff the Pomeranian, a Guinness World Record trick dog. She has been featured in the Daily Herald and on WRLR radio. Certified by NADOI (#1117) and member of IACP.
How to Get Started!
Prospective clients should contact Kelly via phone, email, or Facebook to discuss training needs. Private lessons and boarding programs require direct consultation to determine availability and customize a plan based on the dog’s behavior and goals.
Contact Information
Availability
- Weekdays
- Weekends
- Morning
- Afternoon
- Evening
Hours
Monday: 9am-5am
Tuesday: 9am-5am
Wednesday: 9am-5pm
Thursday: 9am-5am
Friday: 9am-5pm
Saturday: 9am-2pm
Sunday: Closed
Certifications
- NADOI
- Credentialed
Associations
- IACP
- Accredited
Languages
- English
Misc Features
- Women-owned
- wheelchair accessible parking
Other Services Offered
- Pet boarding service
Location
956 W Main St, Cary, IL 60013Listing Tools for Trainers
For Pawsibilities Dog Training Only
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